From 18th century automatons that could write a full letter to the player pianos featured in every saloon, mechanical inventions have fascinated us for centuries. Yet the smallest pieces can garner ...

Rick Van Anken, who blows the snow from some of the 250 miles of sidewalks in Bloomington, Minn., used to worry about being injured if his vehicle hit a quarter-inch irregularity in the sidewalk and ...

Sometimes, you stumble upon an invention that makes you wonder, "How did they even think of this back then?" Some ideas were way ahead of their time, only to be forgotten or overshadowed by newer ...

An underwater ship -- A siphon for raising water -- Lifting weights by water, and a portable siphon -- Construction of sluices to raise ships to any height -- A machine worked by fire which can throw ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...